Kintsugi
by dancibayo
Summary: How a Yamanaka Jutsu gone wrong awakens another voice in Naruto's head. But instead of a giant ball of malevolent chakra who isn't really that malevolent, just grumpy; what he awakens is the soul of a Naruto fanfiction writer who really just wants to see all their favs happy. And what the fuck is going on with Orochimaru?
1. A Jutsu Gone Wrong

AN: This is a fic I am co-authoring with dearjayycee over on ao3! I hope you enjoy! The fic is also posted on ao3 under the same name with both of us as authors.

Ships include: shikasasunaru, shisui/oc, Sannin triad, haku/itachi, leegaa, ame trio as triad, kakairuobi.

Other tags include: Adoption, Reincarnation, Fix it, Alternate Universe, Evil Shimura Danzou, Good Orochimaru, Trans Character, Nonbinary Character, Self Insert, Jutsu Gone Wrong, Protective Kurama, Kurama is a good teacher.

* * *

Naruto was skipping down the streets of Konoha, tiny three-year-old legs bouncing him down the road. He ignored all the glares and harsh whispers that followed him wherever he went. Slipping behind the Yamanaka flower shop, he decided to watch the ninjas practicing in the nearby training grounds. He noticed a tall blonde man making a strange hand sign and stopped short, watching the man with as much focus as he could, the look of concentration on his face was so out of place that if anyone were to see it they would think the child an imposter. Naruto had recently learned that hand signs were what made jutsu work. Naruto had been saved from a mob not too long ago by a silvered haired man wearing a mask, who had then let him cuddle with some puppies. That had inspired Naruto to want to be a ninja as well.

The man had used a cool water jutsu on his mob and ever since Naruto had been on the lookout for jutsu he could do. And here his chance was, an easy hand sign for him to do. So the young boy rushed home to the building his Jiji gave him. Currently, there were five other people living in his building, masked like the silver-haired man had been. They were kind and took care of them in their own awkward way. But Jiji had let Naruto be his own homeowner, so no one could try to kick him out like they did at the orphanage.

Once Naruto finally got home, he rushed into his apartment and noticed it had been cleaned by someone. Naruto jumped up onto his couch, sat cross-legged and got ready to test out his new jutsu. After hours of trying to get the hand sign to do something, Naruto was hungry and frustrated so he finally made the sign just one last time, putting every bit of energy his body contained into it. Surprisingly he started glowing, blue light surrounding him with wisps of red floating by.

And suddenly there was an explosion and Naruto was blacking out.

* * *

Naruto awoke in what looked like a sewer. The air was stale and the water was slimy against his feet and ankles. Naruto turned around in shock, the way behind him was closed off. He started running, wanting with all his might to get out of there. It was dark and he never liked the darkness.

He stopped when he came to a large cavern-like room. Pipes were everywhere, along the floor and crawling up the walls and spread across the ceiling. He noticed there was a woman standing in front of a giant cage. Long red hair down her back and a black kimono with silver and gold koi swimming across the fabric lazily. The woman turned around, pale skin and wide brown eyes looking down at Naruto in sorrow. "I am truly sorry for what is to come, but I am here now. I will do everything I can to help you, only if you will let me."

Naruto looked up in confusion. Where were they and why was this pretty woman, in a beautiful kimono, in this sewer. And why was there a cage looming behind her? "Hey hey, Nee-chan, why are you here? Where is here?" Naruto questioned, she hadn't looked at him like most of the villagers did and that made her a good person in his opinion.

The woman looked surprised before letting out a soft snort as she came forward, resting her hand onto of Naruto's sunshine bright locks, gently scratching his scalp. "My name is… Hakuoh, and this is your mind."

Naruto couldn't help but look around in disgust, why was his mind a sewer?

"Don't worry about that for now, we will work on changing it in time. The first thing I want you to do is to imagine a couch or some chairs for us to sit on." Hakuoh instructed, guiding the young boy when he asked questions on how to do it until they were finally sitting across from each other in a pair of uncomfortable wooden chairs, both an obnoxious orange. Hakuoh couldn't help but smile fondly at the young boy.

"Using an unknown jutsu was really foolish Naruto, but I can't help but think in this case it was a good thing. However, promise me you will never do something like that again." Hakuoh stared at the toddler until he finally blushed and looked down at his dangling feet, mumbling aYes Nee-chan, before looking back up at the person across from him in curiosity. After a few seconds, the pretty lady nodded to herself, as if gathering her thoughts.

"First off, you wanted to know why I am here, and to be honest I don't know how I got here other than you using that jutsu just now. I…" the lady paused for a moment, seeming to think over her words. "I'm not sure how to explain it, to be honest, but I come from somewhere very far away."

"Like outside the village?" Naruto asked, jumping up and down in his seat. He had always wondered what kind of things were to be found outside of the giant walls of the village. His Jiji had read him stories about places all around the world, of adventures and heroes. It was part of why Naruto longed to be a ninja, so people would see him as a hero.

"A lot farther than that I'm afraid. But I know a lot about you, and now that I'm here I'm definitely gonna help you as much as I can." She promised as she grinned at him. She had a dimple in each cheek that only showed when she smiled. Naruto also noticed that there was a lot of spot like things that covered her nose as well as her cheeks. Naruto had never seen spots like that before. But he wasn't thinking about that too much. He was more interested in the fact that she said she was gonna help him. Did that mean she didn't hate him?

The lady frowned, moving to kneel in front of his chair. She placed a hand on each of his knees. "Of course I don't hate you Naru-chan, I know we don't know each other yet, but I care about you. And I know the village is full of people who are mean to you because they are afraid. But I'm not afraid, got it?" She said, a promise in her every word as she slowly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight to her chest. Naruto couldn't help as he started to tear up, burying his chubby face into her slender neck, the scent of ozone and jasmine on her skin.

Hakuoh allowed the boy to hold on as long as he needed, had wanted someone to allow the young boy this for so long.

Hakuoh hadn't always been called that, but when they realized where they were, they had taken up the name, finding it fitting. Hakuoh had once lived in a world very different from this. A world where this one had been nothing but a story. Where Naruto had been a story written by Masashi Kishimoto, and they had grown up with it, anxiously waiting for each new installment. Not only that, but they had read a multitude of fanfiction, some of which were self-inserts as well as multiple time travel fix-it fics. But Hakuoh had never thought they would find themself in the middle of one of their favorite fictional universes.

Hakuoh was too lazy to accomplish anything if they were stuck in the kind of fic where the original character took over Naruto's body. They would have probably just spent all their days hiding under henge and hoping their fate wasn't the same as in canon. But this could work, here Hakuoh could help with the things that needed them the most. Naruto needed someone to be there for him, even if it was just the voice of a dead person from another world. But Hakuoh could also use their knowledge to help the future, to save all the characters who had tragic lives in canon. She wasn't far enough back to save Sakumo, Obito, Rin, Minato, or Kushina. But there was Hizashi, the Uchiha, Itachi, and even Shisui. And if they were very very lucky they would be able to save Obito, Nagato, and Konan. They deserved so much better than Kishimoto gave them. So many of the characters (no, people, Hakuoh corrected) they had come to consider precious.

And Hakuoh would do anything they could to help. If that meant getting Naruto to try the many training cheats they had read in fanfiction or to use their knowledge of the future to ruin everyone's plans. They would do it.


	2. Days Gone By

Hakuoh pulled the young boy up into their arms, Naruto smiling shyly at the unexpected willingness for contact, holding onto the soft silk of the kimono begging for this to not just be a dream. Hakuoh walked carefully up to the golden bars of the giant cage, Naruto finally noticing the small slip of paper that seemed to be all that was keeping whatever was inside from breaking free.

Hakuoh cleared their throat before speaking out into the blackness, "Kurama," they called, listening for any reply.

Suddenly a giant yellow eye was opening, far closer than expected to the bars. "Yes, Kits?" The voice was booming and gruff, and while it could be mistaken for furious there was an undertone of exasperating care. Naruto didn't know it but the moment Hakuoh had known where they were they walked right through the bars of the cage and straight up to the sleeping kitsune who had yet to notice the intruder. Hakuoh laid a hand on the long snout, Kurama's eyes flying open, a low furious growl rumbling through the cage. But instead of fear Hakuoh apologized lowly and then pushed all of their memories at the kitsune. Kurama whimpered before falling silent, eyes slipping closed.

Hakuoh shook their head to come back to the present, "Naruto, I would like you to meet Kurama, your partner." Hakuoh introduced the boy, hoping that this was the best way to do it.

"Partner?" Naruto questioned, unsure of how a giant eyeball could be his partner.

Kurama laughed, a high pitched yipping and stepped closer to the bars, coming into view so that the young boy could see him in all his glory. His fur was more on the golden side than it had been before the other kit pushed their memories on him.

The memories of Naruto's previous future life, of their partnership, friendship, had shocked Kurama but this tiny stubborn human had worked his way into Kurama's heart, unlike anyone since his Father had. Kurama missed the man dearly, and he saw peaks of the sage within Naruto.

Kurama longed for that partnership, for the care Naruto had shown him so readily. So he let go of as much hate as he could, knowing that Naruto at this point was too young to power through it like he had in that other life. But this way he could see his kit grow up properly, and be a part of it. Teach the kit how to survive and hopefully this time Naruto wouldn't sign with those ridiculous toads. The shame of his jinchuriki not using the fox summons was almost too much.

Naruto looked up in awe at the giant fox, "Fluffy," the young boy whispered, squirming in Hakuoh's hold. They let the small boy down and followed as Naruto ran through the bars of the cage and straight up to Kurama's nose, latching onto the soft fur.

Kurama chuckled lowly as his kit cuddled into him, he knew the young boy hadn't had much in the way of comfort so Kurama would let being treated like a stuffed animal slide for now. Hakuoh smiled warmly as they watched the two of them interact, seeing simmers of their future relationship forming so soon. But they knew they couldn't just sit here all day. Hakuoh had shit to fix, and it was up to them to do it.

"Hey, Kurama?" They said, grabbing the fox's attention. A giant eye peered at the person before him, who was going to do their best to turn this world on its head. Kurama couldn't help but think Hakuoh, despite their name, would make a great kitsune.

"Yes, kit?" He responded. He wasn't sure what Hakuoh's plans were but would do his best to help them. For the first time in millennia, he had someone who was precious to him, and he would help Hakuoh in whatever he could to make sure Naruto, and those precious to his kit stayed safe.

"How about teaching Naru-chan here some Hiragana?" They suggested as they patted the top of Naruto's head. The redhead wanted to get the ball rolling on fixing all the issues that plagued one of their favorite stories, the quicker they got down to business the more people they could save.

"What's Hiragana?" Naruto asked looking between the pretty lady and the giant fox, Kurama, that would be his partner.

"Hiragana is the first step in learning how to read and write Naru-chan." Hakuoh informed him. "I think it would be a smart thing to learn. If you want to be an awesome ninja someday, then the first step is to learn how to read and write. Well, what do you say Kurama?" They grinned mischievously, knowing that the kitsune would be unable to say no.

"Sure. Here kit, sit down" The fox instructed as before their eyes the massive kitsune shrank until he was just a bit taller than Hakuoh, and then a small table with two pillowed chairs as well as ink, brushes, and paper materialized between them, Kurama taking a seat in one of the chairs, Naruto scrambling up into the other.

As they started the lesson Hakuoh left them to it and wandered down the halls of Naruto's mind. They could feel that they had the ability to manifest outside of Naruto's mind and Hakuoh planned to use it to assess what was happening in the outside world. As they ventured further through the labyrinth of pipe covered steal walls, water sloshing around their ankles, Hakuoh started to hear a voice that they had hoped to avoid for a while, the thought of that voice being so close to Naruto's vulnerable body sent Hakuoh rushing towards it. They followed the voice until they saw a light at the end of the hall they were running down. The light continued to grow brighter until, quite suddenly Hakuoh was no longer in the labyrinth of naruto's mind, but standing, or well, floating beside Naruto, who was in what looked like a hospital room. Hakuoh immediately became worried. They had no idea that the young boy had hurt himself enough to wind up here, but they did remember the feeling of an explosion as they entered the young boy's mind so they guess it shouldn't be such a surprise that the ANBU had rushed the boy to the hospital.

Hakuoh looked around to see the source of the voice that led them out of Naruto's mind. It was Orochimaru of the Sannin, still wearing a Konoha uniform. The canon story had never been clear about when the man defected. And while they were slightly relieved that the man wouldn't openly do anything against Naruto just yet, Hakuoh knew what this man would do as the years passed and was rightly wary of him. Hakuoh studied what was happening, the people in the room obviously couldn't detect them so they had the ability to gather all the information they could to help the future turn out as best as it could. This meant Hakuoh could follow Orochimaru to his labs and study his research in hopes of helping those like Anko. Surprisingly the androgynous dark-haired ninja looked utterly pissed as he interrogated an ANBU operative in a rat mask.

Hakuoh listened in closely, floating towards the furious ninja. "How could you let him get hurt?! You were supposed to be watching him," Orochimaru hissed in displeasure, eyes hard as the steel of a kunai. Hakuoh was shocked, it almost seemed as if the man was outraged on behalf of Naruto's health. They weren't sure if it was because Orochimaru was genuinely worried about the boy or if he was one of those who saw Naru-chan as only a weapon. But either way, it wasn't what Hakuoh expected.

Hakuoh didn't mean to, but as they leaned closer, their shoulder accidentally brushed the Sannin. And suddenly they were in a completely different place. Hakuoh found themself standing in the middle of a jewel-toned circular room, stained glass windows arching over them, the light shining through making rainbows dance around the room. The floor was covered in hundreds of multicolored pillows and books piled everywhere. What let Hakuoh know where they were was an abundance of ornamental snakes everywhere.

Hakuoh gasped, if they were to ever think about it, they would have imagined the man's mind to be a dark, dank, lab. After all, a person's inner world reflected them, and the most surprising thing was a carved wooden crib. Hakuoh walked over to it, fingers brushing the polished birch bassinet, multiple carvings of snakes, slugs, and toads carved in intricate detail.

At the touch, a rush of memories filled Hakuoh's mind. The emotions bringing Hakuoh to tears.

The first was what looked like the aftermath of the future, Sannin taking the bell test, a young Jiraiya between the other two, tied up to a post, wiggling and whining to be set free, his stomach rumbling unhappily. Hakuoh could feel the emotions that Orochimaru felt, they were a combination of frustration, fear, and a large amount of hesitation. He could stand his new teammates, even that idiot Jiraiya wasn't completely unbearable. But he wouldn't get close, couldn't. If he got close to them he would only end up hurt when they eventually died. And that's what happens to ninja. They all died.

The next few memories passed by in quick flashes, here and gone again, giving Hakuoh barely enough time to understand what was happening. Eating with his teammates, Jiraiya almost choking himself at how fast he was eating. Tsunade hitting his back to try and "help" him. Training with them and their sensei, all sweaty and tired and bones almost goo, and yet Hiruzen-Sensei didn't even have a speck of dirt on him, let alone sweat. It was becoming harder not to like them, their presence becoming part of him, the way they stuck to his sides no matter what, only heightening their absence when he was alone. In fact, though it was something he would never admit, not even if he was alone, was that they had become precious to him, but treated them coldly, too afraid of the possibility of loss to let them any closer to his heart than they already were. And so it went on, the memories of the Sannin growing up and becoming more powerful with each obstacle that was in their way. But the older they became, the more Orochimaru realized he was fucked. He had fallen for both his teammates, so subtly and slowly that by the time he realized it there was no going back. No matter how cold he acted towards them or how much he raged at the injustice of it. He had gone far past becoming close to them. They were the most important people in the world to him. And he dare not tell them, knew they would never accept it, but most of all he didn't want them to, he was fine being alone. Alone was safe, alone meant no one could die and take another part of his already broken heart. Also, not only was Jiraiya a well-known pervert, "a lady's man" he would correct, but Tsunade was the Senju princess. Even if she was interested, her clan wouldn't let her marry some orphaned nobody, they had already lost so many members of the family they were afraid of the bloodline being diluted anymore. Well, that was if they were able to stop her from doing as she pleased. So Orochimaru decided he would become powerful enough to protect them, even if his love forever remained one-sided. If he couldn't be the one to make them happy he would protect them until they found that happiness for themselves.

So that is what he did, practiced until his whole body ached, until his throat was scorched from fire jutsu and his hands and feet were covered in calluses. But he wasn't the only one of the trio to become a powerhouse, it seemed as if his ambition to better himself spurred the other two on so as to not fall behind. They became legendary, not as individuals, but as a team. As three parts of a whole. And for some reason that made Orochimaru's heart pang within his chest.

And when they were down, depressed at the loss of a friend they would come together, in Jiraiya's cramped apartment and get roaring drunk, all boundaries between them dissolving. This was how they all had their first kisses. Fourteen and just having experienced the death of someone precious in front of them, cut down in battle by a team of Kiri-nin. Tsunade trying her best to save their teammate's life, tears running down her round face and hands glowing green. Jiraiya rushing in, in a blind rage, and Orochimaru rushing behind him to watch his blind spots.

Soon the Kiri-nin were cut down in a blaze of fire and wind. But so was their temporary teammate. One of Tsunade's cousins who had been in their class at the academy. And as they limped back to the village Tsunade refused to leave her cousin behind, limp body cradled in her too-small arms.

Jiraiya had veered off as soon as they reached the village telling Orochimaru to bring Tsunade back to his apartment once they were finished in the morgue. Their Sensei could wait for the report. Somehow Jiraiya had procured a large bottle of sake for each of them. And while Tsunade and Jiraiya began to throwback the burning liquid straight from the bottles Orochimaru only pretended. Wanted to be sober for his friends if they needed him. So Orochimaru watched carefully as the two got drunker and drunker. And Tsunade and Jiraiya were yelling at each other, faces pink from both alcohol and anger. And suddenly the two were kissing, just a sloppy mash of lips, and then Orochimaru's face was just as red if for different reasons.

He wanted to look away but it was all too sudden so he just stared, eyes wide, until the two pulled back, still ranting at each other as if nothing happened, but Orochimaru was too confused to even understand a word of it. And then something even crazier happened, Tsunade leaned over the table and soft lips, slightly wet with saliva were pressing against his own, and then she was being pushed away, a rougher pair of lips taking their place. And then they were gone again, the two yelling each once again.

And all he could do was stare at them in shock, eyes almost popping out of his head and hand coming up to touch his lips. Well… That had been unexpected. Orochimaru thought to himself as his eyes blinked rapidly.

And when Orochimaru was the one to have to tell Tsunade what had happened to her little brother, Jiraiya out of the village on a mission he took up the role of distracting both of them, drinking sake until they didn't know their names. Tsunade in his lap, eyes staring blankly at him, with a bottle in her hand as he rubbed her back. Breathing in each other's scent and clutching onto each other, trying to not go insane. Their missing third only showing up two days later, Orochimaru and Tsunade in his bed and still drunk, trying to drown their sorrow. Tsunade for losing someone else and Orochimaru for having to see Tsunade in such pain.

And while this was definitely where Tsunade's addiction started from, they weren't thinking of that at the time. Jiraiya grabbing the half-full bottle next to the bed and downing it in one go before getting in the bed, still fully clothed, until Tsunade was between them, caged within their arms as she finally fully broke down, heartbreaking sobs shaking through all of them. They all stayed like that for days, one of the two boys venturing out only for food and water or to let someone know where they were.

By the time Nawaki's funeral came, Tsunade was in a rumpled black kimono, eyes red, only from tears, both Jiraiya and Orochimaru flanking her and keeping contact at all times. Jiraiya an arm around her waist and Orochimaru linking their pinkie fingers together.

After Dan's death, Tsunade was too broken to stay, to be in the village that she felt had taken everything from her. Orochimaru understood, but that didn't mean it didn't make his heart hurt any less. And then, not even days later, when Jiraiya came to him to tell him that he would be leaving to take over as spymaster, Orochimaru wanted to rage. They left him just not in the way he always thought they would.

And then there was Aiko, beautiful and bright and the best accident of Orochimaru's life. It had been only a few weeks since his teammates abandoned him and he was so tired of being alone. He hadn't been this alone since they first formed a team, and it made everything in him scream for them to be back. He began staying in his lab all day and night, only venturing out at night when he could pretend they were just sleeping at their houses. Doing various experiments, even on himself, anything to distract him and feel whole again.

Then one night while he was especially drunk, which was now his constant state of being for the most part, Orochimaru had what was both his most insane and brilliant idea ever. A child. A child would need him, a child couldn't leave him, would be too helpless for years to even think of it. And he wouldn't be alone then.

And the only genetic material that could possibly be good enough for his baby was his own and the two people he cared for the most. It was absolutely foolish to be conducting such experiments in his state, but he did it anyways, couldn't stand being sober. For days he worked and downed bottle after bottle of sake forcing himself to stay awake with a minor lightning jutsu until he finally fell into a coma, no dreams of loneliness and loss following him.

When Orochimaru finally woke he found himself in a hospital bed with a brain-melting migraine, his sensei sitting next to him, a sheaf of paper in his hands, and eyes weary. If it hadn't been for Orochimaru's body being trained to be resilient against poison he would have died from alcohol poisoning, even though alcohol wasn't exactly similar to the other poisons his body was used to, his immunity was enough to help him hold on long enough so that when his Sensei came looking for him the snake sage was still alive.

However, he had unfortunately been in a coma for a month now, his Sensei coming by daily to check on him, obviously distressed at the idea of losing a student. Orochimaru realized at that moment just how awful Jiraiya and Tsunade's absence had to be for their Sensei after all the man had practically raised them. Had protected them with his life on multiple occasions.

Once he was released from the hospital with a promise to stay away from alcohol from now on, a promise he would keep just to keep the look of desolation from Hiruzen's eyes, he made his way back to his lab, now in an even worse mood than he had been before he nearly drank himself to death.

Now he didn't even have the release of alcohol to help him with the pain in his heart, what little he had of one left after being so thoroughly torn apart. As Orochimaru shuffled papers in the messy lab his Sensei had provided him he noticed what some of the papers said, his drunken messy scrawl covering everything, his stomach dropped like lead.

He had tried to make a child? With his, Jiraiya's and Tsunade's DNA? What the hell had he been thinking? His heart began to race, thumping harshly against his ribs and his palms became clammy forcing him to wipe them on his pants. He didn't know what would be more upsetting. If the experiment failed or succeeded. On one hand, if it had failed then it would be like losing them all over again but this time he didn't think he would be able to go on. But on the other hand, if the embryo was still alive then he would have a piece of them, something he could hide away and keep forever, but he would never be able to tell them about their child. He couldn't stand the thought of them being disgusted by what he had done. Even if he had just realized what he had done, no matter what this was his baby. And he couldn't stand the thought of anyone looking at their baby and being disgusted, even if it was just Jiraiya and Tsunade. In fact, it would be so much worse for them to look at their child that way.

Still, he needed to know, couldn't stand not knowing for one more second. So he marched over to the tank, mustering all his bravado as if the answer wouldn't break him. Orochimaru was shocked. He had no idea how he did it, wouldn't ever dare to retry it, but there it was plain as day. A fetus a few days over a month old, growing within the teal liquid which was infused with his chakra. Tears silently slid his cheeks, dripping onto the stone floor of his lab as he looked at their child. Their beautiful child. The result of his broken-hearted drunken experiment. This baby, not yet born was already his entire world. "Aiko," Orochimaru whispered, hands pressing against the glass gently, child of love.


	3. Things Canon Forgot

Hakuoh pulled away from the crib in shock, memories of a smiling Orochimaru holding a toddler on his lap, and then later that child at only seven, being stolen from him. And by seven Hakuoh could tell who that child would grow up to be, his ability being a dead give away, Tenzou… No Aiko.

An angry hiss caught their attention. Whirling around Hakuoh was surprised to see Orochimaru standing there, in long white robes looking as murderous as Hakuoh had ever seen. "What are you doing here?" The man growled, each world punctuated by a pause. But before they could answer the man was rushing forward, going straight for the throat, only to pass through as if Hakuoh wasn't there.

Orochimaru spun around, shocked, he had thought this was something like the Yamanaka jutsu. Where with a strong enough mind you could attack back. But obviously he had been wrong. The woman across from him looked at him warily.

"I am so sorry you lost your child," was all Hakuoh could think to say. The man's insanity now made much more sense. Danzou was blackmailing him with his child's life to conduct experiments. The memories had cut off there so Hakuoh wasn't sure what Orochimaru had done with those orders yet, but this changed their game plan around so much.

Orochimaru once again tried to attack, kusanagi appearing out of nowhere to try and slice through Hakuoh's neck. Even though they didn't feel it at all they still flinched. Orochimaru was as smart as he had been presented in the manga stopped, realizing that trying anything else would just damage his own mindscape. "Who are you?" He hissed out, obviously frustrated at this stranger in his mind who had seen his most precious memories.

"My name is Hakuoh…" They took a few steps towards the man, mind racing. Hakuoh had an idea, but they didn't know how strongly it would affect the future, all they could do was hope it would be for the best. They rushed forward, too fast for Orochimaru to avoid, and reached out to touch the man's cheek.

Orochimaru was startled at how fast the woman moved, but before he could do anything memories were flooding his mind. Memories of his little boy all grown up. And it hurt, it hurt so much. It had been years since he was able to see his child. And even those these visions were of Aiko older than he would be now, he wasn't sure how it happened but all he could do is pull back, tears rolling down his face, his voice coming out as a croak, "How?"

Orochimaru would be able to tell a fake memory from a mile away, and these were not fake.

He blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears that were pooling in his serpentine eyes. To see Aiko, grown and happy was more than Orochimaru had ever expected. Thought Danzou would have killed his child long before he grew into the man he saw now. There was a part of him that whispered words of doubt, that Danzou would have killed his son off long ago. But there was still hope, the only reason Orochimaru had yet to burst into ROOT's base, something he had scouted out long ago, was that Danzou hinted at having a self destruction seal on Aiko. If Danzou used a single pulse of chakra in the right place or died unexpectedly Aiko would be killed in the most gruesome of ways.

The woman also had tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she took a shuddering breath. Obviously the stranger could hear his thoughts, and while he wanted to lash out again Orochimaru knew it was useless. The woman closed her eyes and allowed just a single teardrop to fall before she spoke up, her voice shaky. "I know you probably won't believe me. And to be honest I'm still not sure if this is some kind of fever dream or delusion. But when Naruto did whatever he did with that jutsu that landed him here in the hospital, he somehow managed to summon me from where I was when I died."

The woman took a deep breath, anxiously fiddling with the end of her long hair. "I come from a completely different world from the Elemental Nations. In fact, where I'm from, the Elemental Nations and everyone in it… you, Naruto, and Aiko included, are just characters written in a story by a Japanese author." Orochimaru's thin eyebrows raised as he stared at the woman incredulously, instinctively taking a step back, watching as she used the sleeve of her beautiful kimono to dry her face. "I know, it sounds like bullshit, but all I can do to convince you is show you my life."

Orochimaru felt as though he had been slapped. If this stranger was to be believed, there was a place where his life, and the life of everyone around them was just an insignificant story. To think; all of his struggles were nothing more than a footnote in a story that probably wasn't even about him. He wasn't the main character type.

His throat was tight and dry but he pushed the words out. Needing to know if this woman was telling him the truth, because if she was she would have insight to a possible future. She might know how to save his son. And Orochimaru would do anything in his power to see Aiko safe and back with him. "Show me your life," he demanded, trying to sound commanding but coming out as a desperate plea.

Hakuoh stepped forward, careful to telegraph their movements, as they reached up to brush away a tear drop before pushing their memories lightly at the man in front of them.

The memories rushed through him like a tsunami, starting with the memories of a newborn baby. It was strange, almost no one remembered their memories from such a young age. But starting the memories so young helped Orochimaru understand the world this woman came from. Taking everything in so that he might use it in the future. But because he was there for this woman childhood he couldn't help but grow attached to her and her parents. A woman, strong but kind, who loved to be outdoors and with plants, her skills with plants reminding him almost of mokuton, the way she coaxed even mostly dead plants back to life with tender care.

Then was her father, a larger man who traveled the world often but doted on the young girl and his wife when he was home. Large hands cradling an infant's body with care, large hands that played a strange instrument as he sang with a wonderful deep voice that rumbled through the baby like a heartbeat, something that always helped the baby fall asleep when she was fussy.

Orochimaru soaked up this new world, so many ideas about how to improve their world.

But then the young child's father died, something that happened all too often in his own world but it hurt him every time to see children lose a parent. But Orochimaru kept watching, growing ever fonder of the mysterious woman. Watched her do her best to help her single mother, who worked almost every day. Watched the young girl learn to cook, at first presenting her mother with rather sloppy meals. But the older woman would just smile widely and act like the food was the best thing in the world. Alighting a passion for cooking within the girl.

He soaked up the years of school, far more than Konoha had. At first it was rather boring, the only interesting thing being learning this strange language that he hoped to use as a code since no one else in the Elemental Nations would know. But then it became more interesting, the two most interesting subjects to him being science and literature. The world the woman came from had far more books for entertainment than his own did, where they focused mainly on education. Not that the girl wasn't smart, being in all advanced classes though her laziness reminded him of a Nara. She preferred to read for fun than to do actual classwork, but still did the work required so she could make her mom proud.

But what shocked him most was manga, something she had discovered while in middle school, mainly the manga named Naruto. At first it frustrated him that she would only read one or two volumes a week, and that there was no sign of him in the story. Sure, Orochimaru knew he would never be the main character of this story but he expected to at least be mentioned. It did however make perfect sense that it was Minato and Kushina's son to be the protagonist, the boy was so full of life, despite the villagers hate that he was dismayed to see that was still there by the time the child reached the academy. He did facefault when he first saw the childs "sexy jutsu" something Orochimaru knew that Naruto's Godfather Jiraiya would be all too pleased with.

Orochimaru would have to find a way to introduce the boy to Iruka sooner, he needed someone like that in his life.

Orochimaru continued watching the girl grow into a woman, until they started to identify as nonbinary, prefering to be called they over she or he, though they didn't mind being called by those other to pronouns either. He was intrigued by this; the snake Sannin had never heard of things such as nonbinary, genderfluid, pansexual or asexual. Terms they didn't have here, but so many things made so much more sense. It was something he would have to think about later, for now he continued to learn and to pay close attention to the story of Naruto, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and son of the Yellow Flash and Red Hot Habanero. Was amazed that the child learned the Shadow Clone jutsu so quickly, and knew with care and attention this boy had the potential to be a legend. Worthy of the name gifted to him for Jiraiya's first, and best, book.

Orochimaru felt a familiar pang in his chest at the thought of his old friend, ached to have him back at his side, and by the way Naruto knew nothing of him he knew his friend had failed this child. He shook himself out of his sorrow, and focused. He was horrified as the story unfolded, he wanted to close his eyes and look away but he couldn't he heard Hakuoh whisper that if he was to avoid the future he needed to learn from it. So he steeled himself, watched in disgust and disappointment at himself as he became the villain, killing the man who had raised him and harming a child, something he promised himself after Aiko was born that he would never do.

Cried at the destruction he wrought on his home, stomach rolling, threatening to hurl at the realization that the Uchiha's had been massacred. It just kept getting worse. The fight between him and his teammates. The only bright spot being that Tsunade finally regained her Will of Fire and became the Hokage, that Jiraiya finally steped of the child of the man he had seen as his own.

Watched the monster he became.

Cried at Jiraiya's death, the man doing what he had always done, protect Konoha till the last.

Saw the same person that killed one of his loves destroy his village more so than he himself had done. All the senseless death. Saw the boy he had watched grow into a man take Pein head on, his determination helping heal Orochimaru's broken heart at seeing Jiraiya so carelessly struck down. Renewed his own determination to do everything he could to build a better future, something he had lost when both Tsunade and Jiraiya fled.

For Naruto to get through the hatred Nagato felt with words alone, truly this boy was worthy of being a main character, a hero who talked a man into sacrificing himself to bring back everyone in Konoha because Nagato now believed in a brighter future.

Orochimaru promised himself to do everything he could to help Naruto along, council be damned as soon as these memories were over he would be adopting the child come hell or high water.

His rage was ignited when he saw Tsunade in a coma, and that disgusting bastard who had stolen his child take over in her moment of weakness. And knew he would have to find a way to save Aiko and bring him back to him.

And when Sasuke killed him Orochimaru could feel nothing but relief, that version of him had been a mad dog that need to be put down, and that child deserved to be the one to do it.

Everything after that blew his mind more than he could even imagine. A war unlike any other, all of the nations uniting under one banner, mass Edo Tensei, a crazy goddess and the Sage of Six Paths himself.

The only bright spot is by the end of the story he seemed to regain his sanity, not just that but another child… Another precious boy to call his own, even if Aiko didn't remember him at all and thought him a monster he had a brother.

And while Orochimaru would do everything in his power to make sure this future didn't come to pass he couldn't help but start to make plans for Mitsuki, already loved him with his whole heart.

But before the story of Boruto could continue, Hakuoh was dead, and being pulled into this world by Naruto. Orochimaru shook his head and finally focused on the person in front of him. They were both crying freely and he couldn't help but enfold Hakuoh within his arms, the much shorter person breaking down. The stress of being brought here, and knowing what would happen and knowing that they were one of the only persons who could try and fix it. And Orochimaru couldn't help but whisper promises of helping out with everything he had.

After seeing Hakuoh grow up Orochimaru couldn't help but see them as one of his own, an older sibling for Aiko and Naruto, and all the other children Orochimaru had seen that needed someone to take care of them. He couldn't help latching onto them.

"We are going to prevent this mess from ever happening. Thank you for trusting me, despite knowing one possible outcome, Hakuoh." The snake Sannin said as he ran his hand through beautiful red hair. They looked relieved when he said that, going lax in man's arms. That he was willing to help, and was in a position to actually do something eased their mind. All they could do at this point was try to prevent the man from going insane, the last thing Naruto would need to contend with was an insane snake Sannin who knew what was to come. And Hakuoh knew that the key to keep that from happening was to save Aiko.

And now that Hakuoh knew they could enter someone's mind through simple touch they were sure all they would need to do to help with the Aiko situation was to raid Danzou's mind for the boy's location and if there was indeed a seal how to remove it.

Not only that but Hakuoh could feel Orochimaru's emotions and could feel the man considered them as one of his own. And though he would never replace their kind father and hard working mother, Hakuoh couldn't help but yearn for a parental figure in this strange new world.

"I think I have a plan," Hakuoh pulled back and tentivally looked up at the man for approval, something he gave readily. "First, how did you feel me inside your mind?" Depending on how Orochimaru had recognized her presence her plan might work.

Orochimaru hummed thoughtfully before answering, "I believe the only reason I felt your in my mind, which wasn't until you touched the crib, is because I recognized the feel of natural chakra. But I think that it is unlikely anyone else within the village would be able to sense you. The many times I have fought besides Jiraiya in battle while he was in Sage Mode gave me a form of sensitivity to natural energy." Orochimaru was rubbing at his chin absently as he thought through the problem.

"Then my plan just might work," Hakuoh smirked, "Since it was so easy to enter your mind, why don't I take a walk and accidentally brush by Danzou, I am sure I could find some interesting information."

Orochimaru's smile was utterly evil and Hakuoh could only mimic it back, just as viscous. "And I might just accidentally make a mess while I'm there. Who knows?" Their voice dripping venom.

Hakuoh decided to change the topic to something they had been worried about. "How is Naruto? I have Kurama teaching him Hiragana right now, but otherwise how is he?"

"There was a large release of malevolent chakra, the epicenter was of course Naruto-chan. He is in a coma that should last only a month, which with how much chakra he lost is actually not that long. Most people would be suffering from chakra exhaustion, but Naru-chan's chakra stores began to fill immediately after he passed out it seems. While he is under, I'm going to start the process of adoption for him." Orochimaru said, crossing his arms over his chest, as if Hakuoh would object.

"Will the council let you? I am assuming that they are the reason Naru-chan is still living on his own." They said with a giant scowl on their face, Hakuoh wasn't sure if the council was the root of all of Naruto's problems like in most fanfictions but they assumed there must be some reason.

A malicious grin spread across Orochimaru's face. "They are, most of the Clan heads have petitioned for years to be allowed to take the child in. Some like the Nara and Uchiha has done so every month without fail. But considering Shikaku was Minato's best friend and Mikato was Kushina's that is no big surprise. But I'd like to see them _try_ and stop me." His eyes glowed slightly for a moment, a mix of determination and fury lighting them up. Yes, he'd like to see those idiots try to stop him from adopting Naru-chan.

"Okay, while you're doing that I'm gonna go fuck up Danzou's mind." Hakuoh smiled sweetly, gently pulling out of Orochimaru's mind, finding themself back in Naruto's room. And floating straight through the window knowing Orochimaru would be able to watch over Naru-chan until they got back.

Orochimaru gave himself a little shake and moved from where he was looming over the ANBU, and sweeping towards the hospital bed the toddler was sleeping peacefully in. It seemed as if not even a second had passed since he entered his mind and he could feel Rat's confusion at the sudden drop of conversation. The ANBU bristled as Orochimaru got closer to the boy but he ignored the other's distrust, because distrust was something he was used to, and sat down, fingers running through soft blond locks. He sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"Rat, go inform the Hokage I require his presence at his soonest convenience." The ANBU nodded reluctantly, and though they were wary of leaving the jinchuriki alone with the snake Sannin, they didn't have a choice in the matter. They shunshined to the Hokage's office to deliver the message.

Back in the hospital room Orochimaru was writing a list of things he needed to prepare for young Naruto's placement in his care. He knew he wouldn't be able to petition for adoption until Danzou was dealt with but that didn't mean he couldn't be prepared. He looked back down at a child he had come to view as his son, smiling softly at the adorable whispered cheeks, fingers dancing across warm skin. "I'll make sure you're never alone again," Orochimaru promised. If Jiraiya wouldn't step up and take responsibility then he would.


	4. Shame

Hakuoh quickly floated through the village, taking the sights that they had only ever seen in 2D now come to life. Somehow they knew where to go, could feel a strange pull, like a string connected directly to their belly button, and soon Hakuoh found themself in the ROOT base. They could tell it was a ROOT base from the blank masked shinobi standing rigidly at their posts.

Hakuoh floated through the base, touching the mind of everyone they passed, their anger with Danzou growing stronger and stronger. The only good thing they found out was that the ROOT members, though they seemed like they had no emotions had just built a natural defense around their true selves. But because of this Hakuoh knew that each member with some help from a Yamanaka could break through the built-up wall to help them reawaken their emotions again. Though it would be a long road to recovery.

Hakuoh made sure to check every room, noting rotations, and when they finally found the room they were looking for they were shocked by what they found there. Canon had never really gone into the size of both Konoha's regular forces let alone ROOT's, so when Hakuoh walked into a giant room with bunk beds with close to 200 children or all ages Hakuoh almost broke down.

To see all these children being prepared to become soldiers in the most ruthless of ways made them want to hurl. Intellectually Hakuoh had always known the Naruto!Verse was a cruel place underneath the story of a young boy Kishimoto wrote. But it was so easy to forget with the fact that Naruto never killed anyone in canon.

Hakuoh had to push down the rage and nausea and continue on, fury would help no one at this point. They gently reached out to touch each mind, whispering words of reassurance and coming safety, skimmed their memories, hoping to find children who had family left only to find a handful did all of which were clan children. Hakuoh kept moving, searching the young faces for the one that would grow into the one they had known as Tenzou. To their surprise they found Aiko huddle on a bed next to Kabuto, both holding hands and looking as terrified as the others.

The question of why Kabuto out of everyone Orochimaru could have taken in canon was now answered, and it made their heartache. Especially when they knew what Kabuto's fate in ROOT would be. Hakuoh knew for sure that Orochimaru wouldn't allow Kabuto to go back to the orphanage, not with how the matron had allowed children to be taken into ROOT. No matter what Nono was going through, Hakuoh knew Orochimaru would never forgive her, not with how much they now knew that the man cared for children in a way that was utterly surprising.

Hakuoh gently brushed through both boys minds, and while they already bore the curse seal Hakuoh was relieved to know that Danzou hadn't put a self-destruction seal on Aiko, even though that was what the man had used to cow the Snake Sannin into compliance.

Hakuoh pulled away, wanting to stay but knew the best they could do for all these children was to continue on so that Orochimaru could take down Danzou and free them all. They continued on their journey of the base, finally coming to a door guarded by Fuu and Torune, though they were only in their early teens currently. Hakuoh was worried about touching Fuu's mind since he was a Yamanaka so after looking through Torune's mind they decided to move onto Danzou and then come back for Fuu.

Hakuoh broke through Danzou's mind in a daze, gagging but body unable to hurl. The depths of depravity the monster had fallen to was almost unbelievable. All the lives lost because of this one man's greed. This man had single-handedly started the third shinobi war, was the cause of the destruction of Uzushio. Was responsible for forcing the Uchiha to stay away from the fighting when the Kyuubi attacked, and then used it against them. How he subtly influenced the civilians into hating Naruto, being the one to spill the fact that the boy held Kurama. He was also the one to assure the boy was never adopted, wanted him to helpless and unattached so that he could finally get his hands on the boy he would be a willing pawn, grateful for the first person to take him in.

Hakuoh in fury at the disgusting man had ripped through his mind, hoping to cause some damage, but he seemed to only be suffering from a migraine when they turned around to look at the man. Hakuoh decided to leave the room, unwilling to be in the monster's presence for any longer. All they had left to do was a quick brush of Fuu's mind, which they were glad to note didn't draw the man's attention and then left the base all together after one last look into the room that held the children.

* * *

Orochimaru couldn't help his anxious thoughts as he waited for his sensei to arrive. He knew that Sarutobi had grown suspicious of him beginning when he had pulled back from his mentor after Orochimaru had found out he was expecting. He knew his sensei had always been worried about his obsession with immortality but when Orochimaru had first found out he was to have a son, that obsession had slowly waned. He had realized that he could live on through his teachings and memories, though he had no wish to die. He wanted to see his son grow and hopefully be reunited with his team one day.

But he understood Sarutobi's hesitation. Orochimaru had been at first too embarrassed by the fact he had used Jiraiya's and Tsunade's DNA without their permission to tell his sensei that he would soon be a Father. But after Aiko was born he realized how big of a liability his son was, knew that if anything happened to Aiko, no matter who did it, he would burn the world down, and he didn't want to risk that happening. But somehow Danzou had found out and he was now in this position.

Orochimaru also knew that his secretiveness had been one of the biggest marks against him when being considered for Hokage. And while it was something he would have loved to be he also knew that at the time Namikaze was the better choice. He had the trust of the people and the charisma Orochimaru would never possess. And right after the war had ended, with all the loss the village had suffered the people had needed someone like Minato to lead them.

But there had been a good reason Hiruzen had stepped down. He was an old man, and was tired and weary. And Orochimaru knew that the loss of his wife, a woman the man had treated like a queen, the destruction of his village and loss of his successor, along with two of his students all but becoming missing-nin had destroyed his sensei's spirits. And while Orochimaru would never say it, his sensei wasn't fit for the office of Hokage anymore.

He had lost his Will of Fire and will to fight. The Hokage, while he did have a council was the be all end all of the village, he had let them steamroll him. Too tired to fight them.

Orochimaru had only seen glimpses of the man that had raised him since he was reinstated, and he wished he could reignite the man's fire. Orochimaru could only hope that the news of Aiko would be enough to jump-start the man. Hoped that he would finally put his foot down and allow someone to adopt Naruto, namely Orochimaru, and would allow him to do something about Danzou.

The door finally opened, Hiruzen flanked by two of his guards. His sensei smiled softly but he still had a tightness around his eyes, Orochimaru was unsure if it was because of Naruto's state or that the Snake Sannin was so close to the boy. Before Sarutobi could speak Orochimaru spoke up, "Sensei, I need to talk to you alone." Orochimaru was sure to allow some of his desperation to show so that the other man would know just how important this conversation was.

Sarutobi was quick to send his guards away, noticing his student's walked forward to sit in the chair next to the sleeping boy's bed. The wrinkles in the older man's face were deep in his worry, and his right hand was clutched tight into his white robes.

Orochimaru reached into a pocket he had made on the inside of all his flack jackets, pulling about two pieces of paper, he wasn't sure how this would go down but this was his opening gambit.

First, he handed over a slip paper that had a seal drawn by Jiraiya, his sensei studied it for a moment before he placed it onto the side table next to the bed and pushed his chakra into it. With a pop, they were enveloped in a bubble of impregnable wards that no one besides them would be able to see or hear through.

With what Orochimaru knew of Danzou he would be surprised if the man didn't have at least one ROOT member always watching over Naruto. Orochimaru was relieved that his sensei had put up the seal without saying a thing, it gave him hope that his next move might be as well received.

Orochimaru looked at the picture in his hand, fingers tracing it before he finally looked up, eyes locked onto Sarutobi's. "I know you have wondered for years why I have been so withdrawn and that you have been worried I have been up to something untoward." Orochimaru saw the other man flinch violently, but he just continued. "And if I were you I would be just as worried… But… Here."

Orochimaru tentatively handed over the picture he cherished so much of himself and Aiko having a picnic, cherry blossoms floating around them. His sensei reached out, taking the picture with care and when he finally took in what the photo was he looked up sharply.

He couldn't help the blush that raised on his cheeks as he avoided his teachers questioning gaze. "His name is Aiko… At first… At first, I was too ashamed to tell you… I did something rather unseemly when I was drunk."

"We all make mistakes, I don't see why you wouldn't tell me," Sarutobi said, study the photo more closely, he had never seen Orochimaru look so innocently happy, and the five-year-old boy in his arms was looking up at his father in absolute devotion. In their world, it was rather common to have children under such circumstances so he didn't understand why his student would be so ashamed. Though it was true he had always believed his student would never participate in such actions, so he wondered if that was the source of shame Orochimaru felt.

Orochimaru closed his eyes tightly, "Sensei, I didn't… Do you remember when I was admitted to the hospital for alcohol poisoning?" The older man nodded, sorrow filling his eyes as he realized this incident must have happened right after the other two sannin fled the village. "When I was drunk, I combined Tsunade, Jiraiya's and my DNA to create Aiko."

When his sensei didn't respond Orochimaru finally looked up at the man. His teacher had tears shimmering in his eyes, though Orochimaru couldn't guess why. The man was running his fingers over the picture. "He's beautiful, why… why didn't you tell me? Tell them?" Sarutobi asked, sadness evident in his tone.

"It's not that I don't trust you sensei I do… I just… At first, I was ashamed. And then I just wanted to keep Aiko for myself. But then when he was born I realized how big of a weakness he was for me. That I would kill anyone who even looked at his wrong. And… Sensei, while I trust you… there are those around you that I don't. And I was right not to." Orochimaru snarled out at the end, shocking his sensei.

"Oro-kun, what happened?" Sarutobi asked, eyes going hard as he realized that this was not just his student revealing a long-hidden child. Sarutobi was shocked at the news but it also eased his heart, knowing that the reason his student pulled away from him and those around him was something sinister like he had worried about. But with how upset Orochimaru was Hiruzen knew something had gone wrong, his student bringing this to his attention after all these years attested to that.

"Sensei, I know you trust your old teammates but I need you to believe me, if not for me then for an innocent child." Orochimaru couldn't help the pleading tone in his voice, and Sarutobi noticed it automatically. He was devastated that one of the children he raised thought that he would trust someone more than them. But he also knew Orochimaru had been right in being worried. Before today Sarutobi knew that if one of his teammates came and hold him something horrible about his student he would believe them over Orochimaru, and he felt horrible for it.

It was time he started trusting his student as he did with his other two. The love he so easy showed for his child finally showed the Will of Fire he had always thought absent in Orochimaru. "I promise I will take whatever you say seriously, I know I haven't always been fair when it comes to you, and I am truly sorry for that. But it's time I start believing in you, I can only hope you will forgive me my folly." Sarutobi hoped he would be able to mend the rift between them, and trusting his student now, with something so important was the first step.

The tension bled out of Orochimaru, seeing the truth shining in his sensei's eyes. "Sensei, Danzou had Aiko kidnapped and is using him against me." Sarutobi carefully rushed forward, pulling his student into a hug, Orochimaru curling into his sensei's stomach and crying for the first time in years. When he found his child missing he didn't feel sadness, just an all-consuming rage.

Tears wouldn't help him get his child back so he hadn't bothered with them. But here and now, with the man that had raised him holding him close, hands running over his long hair in soothing strokes, he finally broke down. All the sorrow finally being released.


	5. Paper Flowers

"The first thing we need to do is recall Jiraiya and Tsunade, with Aiko on the line we need them if we are going to take Danzou down." Sarutobi pulled away, lifting Orochimaru's chin up and wiping away the man's tears with a handkerchief he kept in his pocket. Orochimaru couldn't help the way his face scrunched up.

"They left me, they would be disgusted to learn what I have done… I can't… I can't deal with how they would look at Aiko. He is the most important thing in his world to me." He could feel the way the tears started to well up again and cursed his emotions for betraying him.

"Oh child, I know you are hurting, but so are they. And for Aiko's sake, we need them. I am an old man, and not as strong as I used to be. And I know myself well enough to know if it comes down to it there is a risk of me hesitating. You three wouldn't." Hiruzen sighed, knowing his own sentimentality could get in the way.

Orochimaru wanted to scream at the man, about how hurt he was when they abandoned him, that would run once they knew what he had done. That they would never be able to love his-their, son. But before he could his teacher spoke up again.

"And anyone with half a brain would never be able to feel anything but love towards Aiko, he is beautiful and I am sure he is just as smart as his father." Sarutobi smiled wistfully, "And I hope when I regain your trust you will allow me to treat him like a grandchild."

Orochimaru didn't hesitate one second and nodded. His and Hiruzen's relationship had been strained for years but the one thing he knew beyond all else was that he loved those he saw as family. Even when Orochimaru had made him suspicious through his distance Hiruzen had still loved him, and the snake Sannin was glad to have his beloved sensei back.

Now that Orochimaru knew the man would support him in saving Aiko he hoped he would also allow his next request. "Sensei, there are two other things we need to talk about," He said, deciding the best thing to start with was the story of how Hakuoh came to him. Orochimaru was sure that since Hiruzen had been around Jiraiya in sage mode often as well he would be able to feel the other's presence so that they could prove Orochimaru hadn't just gone mad.

Hiruzen sat and listened to his student's explanation of the foreign presence Naruto had summoned into this world, and about how to them they had all been a story. Sarutobi knew his student was withholding things from him in this area, that mysterious Hakuoh must have told him things about the future that Orochimaru thought his teacher could do without. But Hiruzen decided to trust his student's judgment in this.

While there was still an inkling of doubt, because really a being from another world being sucked into this one by a child misusing a jutsu was almost unbelievable but if anyone could do it it would be Naruto.

"Because of this, sensei I know what Naruto's future will be like. Sensei, the villagers will never accept him for who he is, not without him going through more strife than anyone should have to. And with what might come he needs someone to raise him." Orochimaru bowed at the waist. "Sensei I beg of you to allow me to adopt him, and if not me someone else who will care for him, who will raise him to have both the mental and physical strength he will need for the trails to come. But still, someone who will allow him to be a child for as long as they can."

When a hand pulled him up gently by the chin Orochimaru looked into his sensei's sharp searching eyes. They sat there for a few minutes in silence, studying each other before his teacher finally nodded, that determination that had so long been missing from Hiruzen finally showing itself again. "I will have his guardianship transferred to you once Danzou is no longer a threat. You also better be ready to take the hat," Hiruzen smirked.

* * *

Hakuoh floated through the window to find both Orochimaru and Hiruzen sitting across from each other filling out paperwork, Naruto curled around Orochimaru and gently snoring away. Hakuoh watched over the two men for a few minutes, trying to judge how the talk had gone, and judging by the determination on Sarutobi's side and the snake Sannin's relief it had gone well.

Finally, they reached out, fingers brushing Orochimaru's cheek as they fell into the man's mind. The circular room was much brighter than it had been before, the air scented with wildflowers. The happiness was obvious but before Hakuoh could inspect any of the other changes the man in question walked through a door that had appeared out of nowhere, his once white kimono was splashed with jewel-toned colors.

"Did you find Aiko?" Orochimaru anxiously tucked a lock of black hair behind his ear.

"I did, and the good news is that Danzou lied to you about the seal." Hakuoh didn't waste time, knowing that if they did the snake sannin was liable to try and destroy them. The man relaxed, body slumping in relief. "While I was there I collected the memories of all of the ROOT members and Danzou himself. There was much more wrong with the man than we first thought. I am not sure if you will want these memories, so if you want I can just give you the rundown." Hakuoh didn't wish to burden anyone with this, and wish they could scrub them from their own memory. They grew up in a world much different from this one, and the callous way the full ROOT members had killed would haunt their nightmares, and if Hakuoh had the choice they would be running to a Yamanaka to have their mind scrubbed.

Orochimaru seemed to notice Hakuoh's growing distress at the thought of how much death and destruction they had witnessed. And reached out and pulled them into his arms, whispering that it would be okay. "I am here, we will share this burden together. If I am to be Hokage I can not ignore the darkness."

Hakuoh smiled shakily, they knew the man wouldn't flinch away from the memories, but to them, it was still strange that this world was so full of death. They gently pushed the memories towards the man, his body going stiff around her.

It took him a while to assimilate the memories. And while yes they were awful he had seen worse. While the ROOT members were killers they didn't do so for fun like some did. They carried out orders, and their swiftness in killing was almost merciful. But when the memories reached the children Orochimaru wanted to weep. So many children's lives being ruined. And the sight of Aiko, scared and too young to be so, holding onto the hands of a boy he had once taken on as an apprentice in another life, made him want to rage. He had already hated Danzou and wanted to kill him for hurting his own child. But being someone who had always loved any and all children, even the annoying ones with snot covered noses as well as those who screamed constantly, he had to physically restrain himself from leaving his mindscape and killing Danzou right then. After a few minutes where he reigned in his temper, he turned to Hakuoh.

"If you are ready, I think it is time I introduced you to Sarutobi-Sensei," Orochimaru commented before pulling out of his mind, feeling Hakuoh do the same.

The hospital room was as they left it, Sarutobi still scanning of a document, which Hakuoh leaned forward to see was a statement of intent to make Orochimaru the next Hokage, which surprised Hakuoh that the talk had gone so well. Naruto was still asleep, looking so adorable that Hakuoh couldn't help but coo at the cuteness.

"Sensei, Hakuoh has returned from looking for Aiko. They found… Many things… That we will need to take care of. For now, though I would like the two of you to meet. For me it felt like Jiraiya going into Sage Mode, but inside of my mind. It's a very strange feeling, just start meditating and you will be pulled into your mindscape where you will meet them." The Snake Sannin explained, Hiruzen nodded standing up to sit seiza in front of the bed, closing his eyes, his chakra going calm. Hakuoh moved closer, kneeling next to the man before reaching out to touch Hiruzen's forehead, being pulled into the man's mind.

This time since Sarutobi was already meditating when Hakuoh appeared the man was already there, sitting at the Hokage's desk, but instead of being the office they were in a large clearing. The trees were growing the shape of bookshelves, with hundreds of scrolls stuffed into all the shelves. Around the clearing where wildflowers made out of paper each with a small picture of a person. Hakuoh couldn't help but lean forward to look at one. But when they realized what the flowers were they drew back in shock.

Hakuoh looked up at the aging Hokage, who was studying them with calculating eyes. "Each flower is a collection of the memories I have of every shinobi in this village. When they die their flower blooms, to always remind me of what I am fighting for."

Hakuoh's eyes darted towards the bush of Torch Lilies, the blooms at the top, a bloody red, and the ones at the bottom, a sunny yellow, were already in bloom. But the ones in the middle a perfect mix of the two colors, a blinding neon orange, were still sealed close.

Hiruzen walked over to the plant and brushed only the orange blooms, avoiding the yellow and red flowers. "He deserves better than this village," The sadness in his voice was evident, and his hands balled at his sides. "I don't know if your intentions are as good as my student believes but I lost my faith in him for too long, so if he trusts you I will try to as well." Hiruzen turned to look at them, eyes harder than anything Hakuoh every imagined. "But I swear, if you do anything to hurt them I will find a way to kill you."

Hakuoh didn't flinch back, didn't feel the need to because Hakuoh, despite everything knew that they only wanted what was best for Naruto, and with the way they had looked through Orochimaru's memories, they were quickly growing attached to him as well. "If there is one thing you will never have to worry about, it is me doing anything to risk Naruto's life. I am sure Orochimaru told you I don't come from this world, but one where you all were just stories. But I grew up watching Naruto grow up, his trails and wins, his happiness and his sorrow. I have seen him at his best and worst. And I love him for every moment of it. And he isn't the only one, there are many in this village who I have grown to love even if you might not consider it such. I do."

Hakuoh knew that it would seem weird to those who heard it but Hakuoh had used books to escape certain aspects of their first life. And Naruto had been one of their all-time favorites, so much so that they spent a surprising amount of time both reading and writing fanfiction.

It was strange now, they had always been very against real people fics, so now finding out the characters they had written about for years were real, made them uncomfortable. They had written explicit scenes about people who were now actual children and it made them want to puke. But they couldn't change that. They had to keep going on, and all they could do was try to use those stories for the betterment of these people they now found themselves with. These people who were already so much more than they had been in Kishimoto's story. The only character the artist had really fleshed out was Naruto. And now, knowing what was behind a character they had always disliked in canon they were shocked. There was so much more to Orochimaru than Kishimoto showed. And with what they knew of Tenzou, Aiko, believing his own Father had experimented on him and not that they were related it was no wonder the man had gone insane.

Hakuoh had purposely kept their memories of fanfiction for the androgynous man away from him. It was something he didn't need to see. There were far more stories that had him being utterly evil than ones that had him as a good guy.

Though there was a lot about side characters that Kishimoto never went into detail with, and it burned Hakuoh to know just how bland the characters had been in the manga to what they were in real life.

Sarutobi continued to study their face for a few more seconds before nodding as if seeing the truth. He was intrigued by the fact that someone knew what was to come but he also didn't want to know everything. Sarutobi knew he should but he was tired. Too tired and he knew now that he could trust Orochimaru to do what was needed to make sure the village would thrive and survive.

But he was still Hokage, was still responsible for all the lives under his care so he couldn't ignore the information this person could give them, and considering Orochimaru told him that the center of the story from their world was Naruto that meant the majority of what they knew would be things that affected the village. "Can you tell me a bit about the future, I don't want to know much, in fact, tell me as little as possible."

Hakuoh tilted their head to the side, thinking over what they knew would happen the soonest and what was most important to tell him. "The closest event that is important for you to know is about Kumo. Has that already happened?" The Hokage shook his head, looking curious as to what the person in front of them would say. "Kumo proposes talk of a ceasefire, I'm not sure when exactly this happens, but the Head Ninja was really there just to kidnap the Hyuuga Heiress Hinata. While he was escaping he was pursued by Hiashi Hyuuga and then killed. The Raikage used this to demand that the ninja who was responsible for the death of the kidnapper be sentenced to death. It was never said what your opinion on the matter was but eventually Hizashi decided to take his brother's place, despite their father and Hiashi not wanting him to."

Hiruzen's face grew grimmer as the story continued. Especially since he recently received word from the Raikage about a possible talk, something he had only so far talked to Shikaku about. And with the current skirmishes between the two countries, he had been ready to agree with at least talking. To know that it was all a ruse to get the Byakugan disgusted him.

But he was a ninja, and he would use this chance to his benefit if he could. If they could capture the Head Ninja in the act no one could blame them for interrogating him or demanding better terms with Kumo. And Hiruzen would have to ask Hakuoh if they would be willing to enter the man's mind. They couldn't risk a Yamanaka doing it since they wouldn't be able to cover their tracks and an attempt to gather such information would set A off.

He would, however, understand if Hakuoh was unwilling to do such a thing and Hiruzen wouldn't fault them for that. But he would still ask.

"What else do you think I should know?" Sarutobi asked warily, the information he knew already sat heavy on his mind and he really wished he didn't have to ask for more.

"There is a war… A horrible war. The only good thing that comes from it is that all the great nations unite to defeat a common enemy. So many lives are lost but since Naruto was the main character, Konoha is the main setting of most of the story, and probably fairs the best out of all the other Hidden Villages." Hakuoh couldn't help but mutter 'Plot Armour' under their breath but Hiruzen, while at first horrified at the news of a war so horrible that the five nations united together relaxed slightly at the news that his home made it through mostly intact. Though he was still planning all the ways to help his people survive.

"I am hoping that with Orochimaru's help we will be able to avoid the war altogether. The downside to that is that the nations won't unite." Hakuoh finished, wondering if there was another way to bring the countries together. Hakuoh knew that this world was one of endless war, and that even though the countries came together in the manga is was highly unlikely that would last forever.

Sarutobi sighed heavily, knowing there was one more question he had to ask. "And Danzou?"

Hakuoh felt bad for the old man, Danzou had been his teammate and friend, and they had been through a lot together. And he was undoubtedly heartbroken to know what he did so far. Hakuoh's heart ached to know that he was about to make it worse.

"Danzou is probably one of the evilest people alive currently. While in the story he was assuredly vile, after going through his mind, I discovered it was much worse than I thought. I won't go into detail but Orochimaru knows everything I do, and if you want to know I am sure he will be willing to tell you more about it. But from what I know of you, if you knew what he had done you would agree with what I am sure Orochimaru will do." Hakuoh watches Hiruzen's eyes close, his lips nothing but a slash on his face his lips are so thin, and fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles had gone white. Hakuoh could see the blood seeping down his hands from how tight the hands were balled.

"I'm gonna leave your mind now, I have an idea of how I can talk to you both face to face. If you could ask Orochimaru to make a shadow clone and Henge it into me I might be able to take control of the clone." Sarutobi nodded, face grim as the meadow started to fade.

Hakuoh waited patiently as the Hokage requested his student make a shadow clone and have it henge into Hakuoh. Orochimaru looked confused at first but seemed to catch onto what they were planning.

Once the clone was made Hakuoh reached out, wondering if this would work. There were many fics that they had read where Naruto had done this so that Kurama could have a body to use, though most of those had the Kyubbi have a female human form and romantically with Naruto. But they hoped there was some truth to the idea.

When they finally touch the clone they slide in smoothly just like when they touched the real Orochimaru, but this time the mindscape they found themselves in was a pale comparison to the original. Nothing more than swirling colors. Hakuoh sat down amidst the colors, taking calming breaths they had learned while practicing yoga.

After what seemed like forever they could feel a faint breeze coming through the window against their skin. Their eyes shot open in surprise, head swiveling around to look at the room around them, both Hiruzen and Orochimaru watching them in curiosity.

"Holy shit! I fucking did it!"


	6. Plans

**A/N: Shikanaru pairing has been changed to shikasasunaru! Thank you!**

* * *

Hakuoh looked down at their hands, turning them to see how well the henge was done and Orochimaru had even gotten the freckles on the back of their hands correctly. Definitely good quality. They pinched their cheeks, and while they could feel the pressure from their fingers squeezing the skin, it didn't hurt. Probably because it wasn't a real body. Satisfied that the clone would hold up, they sat at the end of Naruto's bed since Orochimaru and the Hokage were using the only chairs in the room. Hakuoh rubbing over a little foot when Orochimaru spoke up.

"Fascinating idea, I never thought clones could be used this way, then again, when would it have ever happened before. I'm sure you are one of a kind Hakuoh." The snake Sannin mused with a small upturn of his lip, yellow eyes glinting with intrigue. Hakuoh decides to partially explain where the idea had come from.

"Where I come from, 'Naruto' and other popular fictional media are explored by fans through writing. They take what the original author made and write stories that use the original ideas and characters and make something new. It is called fanfiction. A lot of fanfiction authors come up with different and interesting ideas about things that could possibly ifscenarios if you will. A being controlling a shadow clone made by someone else one of them."

Both men take a few minutes to think about everything Hakuoh is and isn't telling them. Seeing how there could easily be stories that made their world better where others could be much darker. But they have bigger fish to fry at the moment, and so set aside how an outside view would see and judge them for another day.

"Sensei, I think it is prudent that you call Shikaku, Inochi, and the ANBU Commander so we can begin to discuss what needs to happen in regards to Danzou," Orochimaru suggests, his hands tightening at just the thought of the old bastard. He knows it is hard for his sensei to have to move against his long-time friend, someone he had trusted with his life amid battle. But not only had Danzou been ordered to disband ROOT already and had not. He had stolen his student's child, students he saw as his own children making the child in question his grandchild. And although the Hokage didn't know the entire list of crimes that Danzou had committed, he was sure kidnapping was on the lighter scale of his misdeeds. As insane as that sounded.

Hiruzen nodded, looking resigned but also determined. This was a wrong he was resolute on righting. He put two fingers on the silencing seal's matrix and pushed a small flare of chakra into it. The barrier fell and the Hokage spoke.

"Fetch Shikaku, Inochi, and your commander. Tell them to come here immediately." To what seemed like no one since the only people Hakuoh could see was themself, Orochimaru, Hiruzen, and Naruto. But a clear, echoing, "Yes, sir," was heard, so Hakuoh assumed it was hidden ANBU members.

About ten minutes later, Naruto's Hospital room was even more crowded. The three newcomers stood at the foot of the bed, Shikaku looking down at Naruto, visibly pained by the sight of the boy. His best friend's child who looked startlingly like Minato, and yet he couldn't do a damn thing to help the poor orphan. Every month he tried to adopt the young Jinchuriki, only to be repeatedly denied by the council. He wouldn't give up though, he owed Minato better than to just give up. As long as he was the Head of the Nara Clan, he would continue to try to help Naruto. He had been forbidden from ever contacting the boy but he had gone to his clan members in Anbu, including his brother who was the Anbu Commander and asked them to take on as many protection details of the boy as they could.

Shikaku looked at his younger brother, Ensui, out of the corner of his eye, his deer mask hiding all of his features. He knew his brother was studying the boy on the bed just as intensely. Minato had acted as an older brother to him and had been the one to appoint him to Anbu Commander despite his young age. Ensui was, in fact, the youngest Anbu Commander ever.

If the three men thought it strange that a woman they had never met before was sitting in the Jinchuriki's hospital room with the Hokage and Orochimaru of the Sannin, they didn't show it. Though they were wary of the strange woman and her intentions towards the young boy. They already knew that the reason they were summoned had to be important, obvious by the company and the angry looks on their faces, so they waited for Hiruzen to tell them what was going on. All hoping that it had nothing to do with Naruto, if someone had hurt him they would all be ready to kill. After reapplying the silencing seal to the room, it was in fact Orochimaru who informed them of the situation.

"We have undeniable proof that one of our retired ninja has been committing treason by running a secret sect of ANBU after being ordered to disband." The three newcomers knew without having to be told who Orochimaru was talking about but they still looked over towards their Hokage to confirm what his student was saying. "Unfortunately we can not try him like we would another person who committed such heinous crimes, his political clout could lead to revolt if we don't handle this quickly and quietly. But beyond that, his organization is made up of ninja who were kidnapped, tortured, and brainwashed. Most of who are only in their teens. His members are all marked with a self destruct curse seal and I have no doubt he will use it if he believes it will get him out of trouble." Orochimaru hissed out the last three sentences, showing to everyone who knew him that that was the part that made him the most furious.

Orochimaru could see the calculating gleam in the Jonin Commander's eyes, the man already making and discarding dozens of plans. He had been hoping to have the chance to take down Danzou for years. He began keeping a closer eye on the man ever since Minato's death. Minato had been in the process of personally investigating the man when he died, only a week or two from jailing him. Shikaku never believed it to be mere coincidence, but he had also been unwilling to go to Hiruzen about it. Shikaku didn't believe the man would have the backbone to take care of business. But here the man was, finally dealing with the rot within their village. But even now, he was allowing his student to talk for him about something so important.

Shikaku couldn't help how his eyes wandered to the woman sitting quietly at the edge of the hospital bed, wondering how she fit into all of this. He could tell by just the look of her that she was a civilian, her hands uncalloused and her posture not that of someone who was on high alert like any ninja would be in this situation, even a genin.

Shikaku's attention finally snapped over to the Hokage when he decided to speak up. "His crimes are unforgivable. Not only has he continued to operate ROOT against explicit orders, but he also kidnapped..." Hiruzen cut off, looking over at Orochimaru obviously changing his mind about what he was about to say, but Inochi, Shikaku, and Ensui had already caught it. The mix of sorrow and fury on their Hokage's face let the know just how close to him one of the people kidnapped was. The way he had looked at Orochimaru would lead one to believe that it was the man's child that was stolen but they also knew Orochimaru had no children. Inochi wondered if the man had recently adopted a child. It would make sense that the Hokage was finally acting if a child of his student was the one taken.

Shikaku's eyes narrowed when the mysterious woman finally spoke up, the Jounin Commander still wary that this unknown woman was being included in on such a sensitive meeting. "His ranks are made up of clan children, children from civilians, and orphans alike. He has also kidnapped many children from other countries, mainly Kiri since they are currently going through a civil war against their citizens with bloodlines, so many children are being left orphaned." Her rage was clear and the three men all stiffened.

There had been a number of reports of children going missing, Yamanaka and Nara children included. They had all been worried that Kumo, as a collector were the ones behind it, the belief driving tensions between the two countries higher. There had also been a resurgence of the C-Ranked curse, many genin teams going MIA or KIA. Ensui couldn't help but wonder just how many of their missing children were right now being hidden right under their noses.

As Shikaku had been looking into the missing clan children, he had decided to look at all records concerning missing children, whether they were reported as lost or even as a runaway. He had noticed that a large number came from or around the Red Light District, and had gone to Fugaku with his concerns. There had been too many to simply be children being stolen by sex traffickers. But he hadn't connected the missing civilian, clan children and genin with those of the Red Light District. The thought of them being kidnapped by the same person had never even occurred to him.

Fugaku had been shocked that the fact so many children had gone missing hadn't been taken straight to him by one of his officers. Shikaku could see the man's racing thoughts, wondering if it was just some of his officers not caring for the children because of where they came from or if it was being deliberately covered up.

Fugaku was quick to promise to get his best detective on the case. Shikaku had met the resident Uchiha genius and had even played a few rounds of shogi with her. Miyako Uchiha was dedicated to justice and they both knew that she would do everything she could to solve this problem. Shikaku would wait until the current meeting was over to suggest bringing her in. Her unique skill in sensing, developed to help her adjust to being blinded in battle, could help greatly if the ROOT bases were underground as they once had been.

They split into two groups after Orochimaru told Inochi that Hakuoh had information about the ROOT member's state of mind. While everyone else crowded around the head of the bed, an Anbu dropping out of nowhere, after the Hokage made a few hand signs, with paper and pens so they could all start planning.

Orochimaru was drawing about the layout of the base, noting patrols, defenses, and rooms of importance. When he got to the holding room for the children they all grew silent, Orochimaru telling them how many children were currently being held captive. They were all furious with both themselves and Danzou. They had already failed so many children, and they could only hope that they would be able to right their wrongs.

While the other men were talking, Hakuoh began to describe the state of both the ROOT member's minds and the children who were currently being held captive to Inochi. Ever since the founding of the village the Yamanaka had taken up the task of being therapists for the Konoha citizens. There were, of course, those outside of the clan who took up the profession but the Yamanaka clan jutsu made them particularly well suited for the job.

And with what all of the ROOT ninja had been through they would all need intensive therapy to recover. But since Hakuoh knew what the inside layer of mind of the members was like they were able to describe it well enough to give Inochi a good idea of how to go about helping them. Inochi confessed, slightly pink in both rage and embarrassment that without that help he might not have been able to help them all as fast as he would be able to now.

By the time they finished planning Hakuoh was more tired than they could imagine being while only being a noncorporeal mind. More than anything they wanted everyone to leave so they could just vanish to go and rest.

* * *

Orochimaru had just finished mapping the ROOT headquarters from the memories that Hakuoh gave him when Shikaku spoke up, his brother like a silent shadow at his side. Both Orochimaru and Hiruzen focused on the two because they both knew that when a Nara spoke you listened.

"I would like to bring Miyako Uchiha into the planning stages of this mission. Not only has she already been investigating the missing children, but with her unique sensing abilities, I think she could be a valuable asset in infiltrating Danzou's operation." Orochimaru stared at the Jonin Commander for a solid minute before he nodded in agreement. He had heard of Miyako, the resident Uchiha genius. The only reason she wasn't talked about like Itachi Uchiha was, was that she was born of Uchiha civilians and that she had been blinded as a genin.

Orochimaru thought it was a shame, she was one of the best investigators the Military Police had ever seen, and Fugaku was the only one who didn't underestimate her abilities. Orochimaru had even heard whispers from the Uchiha elders calling her useless. They couldn't be more wrong.

He had even heard rumors that Fugaku was looking to retire as chief of police so that he could spend more time with his family. But he couldn't; his top choice, Miyako wouldn't be respected in that position by the elders, and they had enough influence to sow discord within the ranks.

If Hiruzen held to his threat of making Orochimaru Hokage the first thing he would be doing was reforming the Military police to accept people other than the Uchiha and give Fugaku his backing to make Miyako chief of police.

"Only her and no one else. And that includes Choza," Hiruzen said sternly, knowing that with both Shikaku and Inochi in on the planning they could easily forget that Choza was not part of it. Hiruzen knew that Choza could be trusted but he wanted as few people as possible involved in this mission. Shikaku winced slightly but agreed nevertheless, always finding it hard to lie, even if only by omission to one of his best friends.

"I will send her a summons so we can meet up here tomorrow. I don't want to wait too long to act against him, and the representative of the daimyo will be here the next few days, and Danzou will be in the council meetings with them. It will be the best time to act but we will have to find a way to get both Jiraiya and Tsunade back to the village before we act. Sensei can keep the meeting running for as long as possible while we raid the bases." Orochimaru said, brows furrowed as he plotted, Hiruzen nodding at the idea. Shikaku and Ensui helped them smooth out any wrinkles before they left.

Hakuoh walked over once Inochi left, "Is there anything I can do?" They asked, hoping to be of some use.

Orochimaru nodded, "Can you try and find Tsunade and Jiraiya? Last I heard Tsunade was in Tea Country in the capital, Sencha, she should still be there. As for Jiraiya he recently sent word that he was in Southern Fire Country. We need them here to enact the plan. Sensei will give you the passcode so they know the message is from us."

Hakuoh looked sadly at Orochimaru, they knew they could convince Jiraiya easily to head back to the village. The problem would be Tsunade. At this point in the timeline, her wounds would still be fresh and Hakuoh didn't have the same charisma that Naruto did and was doubtful they would be able to convince her to come back.

There was one thing Hakuoh was sure would bring her running back.

Aiko.

Hakuoh hated the thought of using the boy against Tsunade to bring her back. And knew that Orochimaru would be panicked if Hakuoh proposed this plan. But for all those children, Aiko included, who needed her they would do it.

Orochimaru blanched when Hakuoh softly asked permission to tell his teammates about Aiko, but after a sputtering denial, he pulled himself together, truly thinking it over before nodding reluctantly. The village needed Tsunade, Orochimaru needed Tsunade. But most of all Aiko needed Tsunade. And she would have to find out sooner or later.

Hakuoh placed a hand on the man's shoulder, trying to be comforting.

"I'll stay and watch over Naruto, Sensei," Orochimaru declared obviously trying not to think about how Tsunade and would react to finding out they had a child.

Both Hiruzen and Hakuoh politely didn't speak about it, the Hokage quickly whispering the passcode to Hakuoh, then hugging his student goodbye before leaving the room. Hakuoh dispelled themself after saying they were going to check on Naruto and then leave, trying to give the Snake Sannin a sense of privacy to work through his emotions.

* * *

Hakuoh quickly made their way through tunnels of Naruto's mindscape. The surroundings were improving already, the sewer water that used to cover the ground was now just a few sporadic puddles and the walls didn't look as grimy. They entered the large chamber that held the seal, to see papers filled with childish handwriting littering the ground, one even had doodles of Naruto and Hakuoh holding hands. They bent down to pick it up, studying the drawing, the only way they could tell it was of the two of them was that one stick figure had spiky yellow hair and the other had curly red hair. Hakuoh then realized the blob of orange next to them was supposed to be Kurama. And they couldn't help but giggle as they walked between the bars of the cage.

Naruto was asleep cuddled up to Kurama, one of the fox's tails curled around the boy protectively. The only reason Hakuoh could see the boy was a few tufts of sunshine yellow hair contrasting against orange fur.

"You're leaving?" Kurama grumbled, somehow knowing just from the look on Hakuoh's face and obviously not looking happy about it. Hakuoh nodded as they knelt down next to Naruto, running a hand through his soft hair.

"Yes, I'm going to get Tsunade and Jiraiya. We need their help to take down Danzou." Hakuoh said quietly continuing to run their fingers over the child's small head until Naruto shifted and finally opened his eyes.

"Nee-chan," He mumbled, lifting a hand to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Missed you," The Jinchuriki said shyly, reaching out tentatively for a hug, a worried look on his face as if he might be denied. Hakuoh could never deny him anything and took him into their arms. They placed a gentle kiss to his head and held him tight. Naruto snuggled into Hakuoh's neck, a tear escaping to roll down his face.

Hakuoh knew this was probably one of the few hugs the boy could remember and it made their heartache. The only thing that made it better was the knowledge that if everything went to plan Naruto would soon have a family. Parental figures and even a brother. And if Hakuoh had their way Kakashi would soon be joining the family.

After a few more minutes of holding the boy tightly to their bosom, Hakuoh pulled back, looking the young boy in the eyes. "I'm going to be gone for a little bit, okay Naru-chan? You be good for Kurama, alright?"

Naruto started to tear up, and Hakuoh couldn't help the sting in their eyes at the sight. Naruto was too bright to ever cry. It was just wrong. "You'll come back, right Nee-chan? You promise?" Naruto begged, tiny fists tightening in Hakuoh's kimono.

"I promise." They assured him letting the determination show through in their voice and eyes before kissing his forehead. After a few more minutes of cuddling, Naruto drifting back to sleep, Hakuoh stood and tucked the boy back into the soft fur of Kurama's tails.

Hakuoh stood in front of the fox's snout, "Please take care of him, it should only take me a day or two and there is someone trusted on the outside looking after him."

Kurama leaned forward, bumping his nose into Hakuoh's stomach. "Come back in one piece, I don't think the kit would survive losing you."

Hakuoh flinched back. At this point, Hakuoh was unsure if they would be able to die while they had nobody, but they would be careful nonetheless. Naruto would need them and they already loved him like a little brother and would do everything in their power to return to him.

Hakuoh promised the old fox that they would be careful before leaving Naruto's mind and sped off to find the missing Sannin, chakra signatures memorized from their time within Orochimaru's mind.

* * *

Shikaku slipped off his sandals as he entered the genkan, lining them up with the rest of the shoes there. He was exhausted, wanted to just flop down on the floor and sleep in the entranceway but needed to see his wife and son. Needed to assure himself that they were both fine. He walked into the kitchen to see that he was just in time for dinner. Yoshino was stirring a pot of what smelled like curry. Her long hair tied back, and her favorite apron on. Shikaku walked up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her hair. He inhaled the scent of the shampoo that most Nara used, made from herbs that grew in their forest. Yoshino placed her free hand over his.

Her hands were heavily callused, her dainty frame a trick. Her years as a ninja, especially her use of a Warhammer as her preferred weapon, had forged her into a deadly warrior. Her sweet features just as beautiful in front of a stove as on the battlefield covered in the blood of her enemies.

Shikaku loved her with all of his heart.

"Rough day?" She murmured, stirring the pot of curry in front of her with exact movements. Shikaku sighed deeply and nodded, leaning down to kiss at the pale column of her neck. Her soft giggle easing his soul.

"I'm going to be busier than usual for the next several days." He told her, pulling back to press a gentle kiss to the crown of her head, hair soft under his lips. He wished that he could tell his wife what was happening, but knew he couldn't. Even though he trusted her with everything, there were helpless children at risk, and Shikaku knew if she was in his position she would do the same. He would tell her everything after it was all over, he silently promised himself.

Yoshino loved children, and Shikaku knew there was a high chance they would be bringing at least one of the rescued children home.

"Go get your son, he's probably asleep somewhere." Yoshino shooed him away with her wooden spoon as she started to set the table. Shikaku walked down the hall and came to the living room. He slid open the panel and poked his head in to take a quick look around. He saw his son sleeping on the couch, his current favorite place to nap, his tiny body barely taking up any space at all, curled tightly into a ball. Shikaku's heart swelled at the sight of his child, so innocent and defenseless and knowing nothing of the horrors of this world. Shikaku knew that it was highly unlikely that Danzou would have ever kidnapped his son because he was an heir, and if taken would be hunted down, but that didn't stop the Nara from feeling fear. He sat beside Shikamaru and gently rubbed his back until the little boy opened sleepy brown eyes.

"Papa," Shikamaru yawned, voice slurred slightly with sleep. He crawled into Shikaku's lap, looking for a source of warmth, laying his head against Shikaku's chest.

"It's time for dinner, Mom's making curry. You hungry?"

"Mhmm. Yes." Shikamaru mumbled, still mostly asleep. As Shikaku carried his son to the kitchen, he held him tightly, hoping the hug would ease his worried mind. He would be glad when Danzou was finally dealt with. Then he could stop being worried about his family's safety while they were in the village. A place that was supposed to be safe.


End file.
